I'd never thought
by shyheiress
Summary: As the Christmas Ball aproaches, the girls realize boys aren't as predictable as they thought they were. Each chapter is a girl's POV. First is Sakura's. Sasusaku, Naruhina, Nejiten, Shikaino
1. Sakura

He'd ever ask me out

It was 9 in the morning. It had been a long night at the hospital. To say I was tired was the least. I just wanted to arrive home, take a shower and drift into dreamland.

So I was walking down the streets of Konoha when I saw a poster in one of the walls. I was about to continue walking when I saw the big red letters that announced 'Konoha's Annual Christmas Ball'. _'Just great' _I thought while I continued reading it: 'Konoha's Annual Christmas Ball. Saturday 20th .10 pm.'

You wouild ask "Why does this girl hates parties? Is she Mrs. Scrooge?" Well, for your information, I am not. It is not the fact of the parties, cause I really love them, and I don't have anything against Christmas either. The problem is the date factor.

Each year, as the 'event' aproaches, my friends, specially Ino-pig, complain about their love lifes. Well, about the lack of them. But I don't understand what they complain about. I mean one of them is extremely shy, the other is in denial, and the third one is afraid to lose her best friend, but if they could overcome those feelings, they would have them at their feet.

My problem, on the other hand, is much more complicated that that. Two simple words can perfectly describe it: Uchiha Sasuke. I fell for him when I was 8. After we graduated from the academy, we were assignated in the same team. I thought I could be the one he was looking for, until I discovered that he wasn't looking for any girl at all. He was an avenger and his only goal in life was to kill his brother. I can still recall the night he ran away, the night he became a missing-nin. Even now sometimes I dream about that day and I wake up with tears in my eyes.

Of course, I never lost hope. Naruto promised me he would make him return, and he did it. It was last summer, just 4 months ago. I was at the hospital when Tsunade asked me to go to her office. There, I found an unconscious Sasuke in her desk, and she told me the story of how Naruto found him moribund near the frontier of Konoha. She told me that I was the one who had the choice. If I allowed it, he could return; if not, he would be condemned to death. I couldn't believe it: she was asking me for permission. I said it was ok for him to stay, as long as he never knew about this conversation. I didn't want him to think I'm weak. I still don't.

So that's how it happened. After we cured him, I returned home and pretend nothing had happened. I was so sure that he would still see me as the weak and annoying girl he left 5 years ago. You don't have to be a smart girl to figure that out. When we officially saw each other, he didn't show any emotion towards me. Well, I guess some things will never change. But still I cannot quite understand why he decided to stay here. He had the chance to leave, still he didn't do it. I guess I'll never be able to comprehend his undecipherable mind.

I felt a familiar chackra behind me, but when I turned around, I didn't saw anybody. _'Great, so now I'm starting to imagine his prescence behind me. Speaking of insane minds'. _I resumed my walk home with a clear idea in my mind. This year I would go to the Ball by myself, I would wear the most beautiful dress ever made, and I will show Sasuke-kun what he is missing. _**"Hell yeah!!"**_ inner-me shouted. I was surprised, I hadn't heard her, me, in a long time.

When I arrived home, I noticed the door was open. As the ninja I am I wasn't scared. I entered slowly, without making noise, and started searching for chakra. When I found my appartment was empty and I was safe, I decided to go into my room.

When I opened the door of my room I was surprised of what I found. Well, surprised is not the right expression. I almost fainted when I saw the whole thing. A thousand of pink, paper cherry flowers were lying in my bed, and in the middle I could see a note. A small note that had changed my mind, the way I saw everything, and specially the way I thought of him. Just 3 simple, yet meaningful words:

'Go with me.'


	2. Hinata

I could left him speechless

It was Saturday. The day of the Ball. And just like every year I wasn't brave enough to ask him out. I thought this year things would be different when Sakura-chan told us what Sasuke-san had done for her. I thought that if he could change for her, maybe I could too. But I guess I was wrong after all and again I'm going to the Ball with the girls and the rest of the boys.

My girl-friends and I decided to get together to get ready for the Ball. I suggested them to come to my house, as it is the closest one to the place where the Ball would take place. And also because Neji-niisan would not allow me to walk there without him.

So we got ready, talking about how this year we won't feel sad because the boys did not ask us out. Actually, Ino-chan and Tenten-chan made that statement, and I could only nod as I thought of it. _'It's easy for them cause even if they do not have a relationship, they share close relationships with their beloved ones.' _But me... Well HE thinks I'm a weird girl, and although he respects me and thinks of me as a good cook, he is totally oblivious to my feelings.

When it was 10 o'clock, we heard a ring on the door, and then my sister called: "Sakura-chan! Uchiha-san is here looking for you. And Neji is waiting for you girls, specially for his training partner." Six pairs of eyes turned to see said friend's reaction to my sister's words and we saw her blushing. _'She is so lucky. They all are. I wished I had been assigned in the same team with him...'_

We went out of my room, and headed to the door. There we saw Sasuke-san with a bouquet of pink roses in his hand. He and my cousin were glaring at each other. I remembered that my cousin saw Sasuke-san as a rival, in a Byakugan vs. Sharingan kind of way. _'Maybe my shyness and calm personality is not a familiar thing'. _As Ino-chan started tapping her foot, both shinobi looked in our direction. Instantaneously, Sasuke-san glare transformed in the most loving look I' ve ever seen. He even did something unexpected: he smiled. Sakura-chan blushed and smiled back at him. _'Sakura-chan must be the luckiest girl on earth in this moment. Her true love has finally returned, and I think he did it just for her.' _I thought I saw my cousin's expression change too, but as I saw him a second time I realized it must have been my imagination.

We started heading to the Ball. To give them privacy, we started walking faster and Ino-chan and Tenten-chan started talking of the different couples we would see this year. I turned to see my cousin and I confirmed what I thought I saw earlier: he was staring at Tenten, with his eyes wide open. I couldn't help but giggle, I'd never seen him like this. But now I understood completely. The training sessions, the way he worries about her. He didn't just respect her as a partner, or even just like her as a friend. It was something else. Something more. But why didn't he asked her out if he felt that way? She would have accepted. And then I realized it. He was afraid of losing her: losing the only one that supported him, the one that never thought of him as a monster. _'Maybe we do have something in common after all'._

When we arrived we saw the rest of the boys waiting for us in the door. Kiba-kun playing with Akamaru-kun; Shino-kun, who was still wearing his sunglasses; Chouji-san eating some chips; Shikamaru-san, who was apparenty sleeping in a standing position, which made Ino dissapointed; and Lee-san with a pretty girl I haven't met. _'Everyone thought he was weird and still he is the only one, appart form Sasuke-san, who actually has a date. I guess everything is accomplished with hard work'. _

"Hey guys we're here! Let´s get inside. What are we waiting fot?" Ino-chan shouted, which still failed to wake Shikamaru-san up.

"We would enter, but there's someone missing..." Kiba-kun answered, and glanced at my direction. He was right, there's someone missing. And not just anyone, the one who was missing was...

"I'M FINALLY HERE, BELIEVE IT!" I heard his familiar voice yelling.

"NARUTO! Why are you so late? We said 10:15, not a quarter to 11." His female team mate yelled back.

"Sorry Sakura-chan! I forgot it was today!"

"Dobe."

"Don't call me that, teme!"

"Dobe"

"Te.."

"W-well.. we are all h-here now so w-why don't we go i-inside", I suggested.

Everyone turned to look at me, including him. And he did something I had never seen. He just stayed there, staring at me with the same look Neji-niisan had a while ago. And then he opened his mouth and spoke:

"H-H-Hina-chan! I-is that y-you? Y-you look, hmm.. well, you see... y-your face a-and your hair, a-and...."

"IT CAN'T BE! Naruto is speechless... and stuttering!" I think I heard Kiba-kun saying. And he was right. I had made something no one had achieved before. I left, for the first time in his life, the number one hyperactive, knucklehead ninja not knowing what to say.


	3. Ino

**Author note: **Hi everybody! It's me shyheiress with the third chapter of this fic. I just want to apologize for the delay, my muse went on vacation and abandoned me. But now it's back so here it is, the 3rd chappie. Enjoy!

He could move like that

Today didn't started the way I've planned it . At all. And, you know what? I am mad. No, wait. I'm really pissed. I just hate when things don't go out the way I want. And, you know what's the worst part? I'm starting to think it's my fault.

Ok. I'm going to explain what had happened. Two weeks ago, this year's Ball was announced. I love dancing, so I decided I would definitely go. But I thought: _'Wouldn't it be nicer if I was invited by a boy?'_ And not any boy. I wanted to be invited by the one and only Nara Shikamaru, my former teammate, best friend, and secret love. I hoped he would invite, then we would dance together, and finally he would confess he loved me. Then I would express my feelings and we would be happy ever after.

Silly me! Did I ever thought something like that would happen? I mean, it's the lazy genious we are talking about. LAZY. Yes, with capital letters. And of course not forgetting the fact that Shikamaru is NOT in love with me. I am way too loud, bossy, and to put it in his words: "troublesome". I just don't fit in his stupid life plans. I don't get it! Nobody can plan his life that way, specially his love life. You can't choose who to love. Look at me, I'm in love with the only guy in Konoha that doesn't fancy me. And now here I am, on my own, after having rejecting lots of invitations because I had the hope he would ask me out. Isn't that pathetic?

The worst part is that I thought that, at least I wouldn't be the only one with that problem, because all the girls are single. I thought it would be a "girls night out", but I was wrong! My friends have betrayed our "I hate boys, specially the insensitive, oblivious to us" agreement.

First it was forehead-girl. A week or so before the event, she had told us about how the "Oh so wonderful Sasuke-kun asked her out." And don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her. She waited him for so long, and finally he had returned and he was with her.

So I thought: _'Ok. It doesn't matter. I still have Tenten-chan and Hinata-chan with me.'_ And again, guess what? WRONG! They had abandoned me. It all began when we were getting ready to go in Hinata's house. Hanabi, Hinata's sis announced Neji and Sasuke were waiting for us. So when we got down, and they aknowledged us, I know I was lost.

Sasuke just melted when saw Sakura. Here in the Ball, they still are together, just talking and cuddling together in the couches. How I envy forehead!

But before that, when we arrived, I saw the rest of the guys. They were all surprised of seeing us that way. Well, almost everyone... Shika was asleep. The only one I wanted to impress and the only one that didn't noticed me when I arrived. I shouted: "Hey guys we're here! Let´s get inside. What are we waiting fot?", which still failed to wake Shika up. He is unbelievable. And still we had to wait for Naruto.

When he arrived he just went in shock when he saw Hinata-chan, stuttering and everything! It was kind of funny, I wished that would had been the reaction of SOMEONE else. Now, the two lovebirds are in the dance floor and they hadn't stopped at all!

Finally Tenten-chan has been talking with other guys all night long, just to make Neji jealous. And I can tell Neji will explode in any minute. I mean, he can't pretend to be cool while his teammate/secret crush is flirting with other boys.

After I realized this party wasn't going to help with my love life at all, I decided to take a break from all this stress. I spotted Chouji in the couches near the food, so I went there to sit with him.

" Hey Ino, why are you so sad? Is it because Shikamaru hasn't spoken to you?" He asked me. _'God, am I that obvious?'_

"Don't worry about me. I'm not sad at all Chouji. Believe it!" _'Oh great, now I know I have mental problems, I started quoting Naruto.'_

"Why don't you eat some of my chocolate cake? It always makes me feel better when I'm sad" Now he's offering his food to me, I must look awful.

" I'm fine. Seriously."

I guess he didn't hear that, because he stood up and announced: "I'm going to get you some chocolate cake, but when I return I will help you with everything" and then, I thought I heard him mutter "and he will tell her the true", but maybe it was my imagination.

Five minutes passed and Chouji hadn't returned. _'Where is he? Doesn't he know a depressed woman needs her chocolate? I know I told him I didn't want any but if he insists, who am I to refuse? ' _

Suddenly, as I was looking to the floor absentmindedly, I saw a hand before my eyes.

"Huh?" The hand, or the owner in fact, was asking me to dance. As I raised my sight to see who was the owner, cerulean eyes met chocolate ones. After what it seemed to me like an hour, but maybe were ten seconds, he broke the eye contact.

"Troublesome, wanna dance?" He asked me in the most casual and boring way, and normally I would have been very mad because of this lame invitation. But now, who cared! Shikamaru, the most lazy human being in Konoha and maybe in the world, wanted to dance with me!

"Sure Shika!!" I screamed. _'Well, that was a bit too obvious, but who cares? He wants to dance with me!! Hell yeah!!!'_

As we approached the dance floor, the DJ started playing a song. But not just any song, it was Confidence by Teddy Geiger. It is the song that reminds me the most of him. And I didn't think it was just coincidence. I know that was planned, after all it is my favorite song.

We arrived at the center of the dance floor and he took my hand and started dancing with me. Well he danced, as I was frozen in the spot. He knew how to dance?!

When he realized I wasn't moving at all, he embraced me and whispered in my ear: "It was troublesome to learn, but I did for you".

He put my feet over his, as if I was a little girl and resumed dancing. When I came to my senses, I didn't yelled at him for doing that. I just put my hands aroud his neck and meted in his embrace.

He neared to me and started whispering the song into my ear: "I'm gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have...For you I will."

So that's how my dear Shika, not only showed me what I mean to him, by planning something he would consider troublesome; but he also proved me he knows how to dance. And you can be sure I won't let him waste his talent just because dancing is troublesome.


	4. Tenten

He could show that amount of emotions

This party just rocks! I thought it was going to be kind of dull when Sakura-chan said she wasn't going to be with the three of us because Sasuke invited her. But, there's no problem with it. I mean, she waited for him and now she's getting her reward. '_And of course it's going to be great when we hear all the details from her tomorrow.' _

Then I saw something that get me in a very good mood. Shy Hinata-chan was able to impress Naruto with her outfit. Finally! I think he has now realised what he feels for her. And of course, they haven't let each other's side since we arrived. '_And to think that Hinata-chan didn't want to wear that dress to the Ball. Oh well... More juicy details to hear tomorrow.' _

I wanted to have fun with Ino-chan, but she was kind of moody. '_Kind of?' _Well, she was totally depressed. For her, to be noticed when she took a long time to get ready for something like this Ball is very important. And her lazy secret crush didn't even glanced at her when we arrived. I don't really understand why it is so important to be noticed. I mean, of course it's good to know people appreciate you, but to take that much amount of time for someone who is too lazy '_or proud' _ to say somethig is a waste of time.

I was going to talk to her when Lee-kun just arrived with his girlfriend and some of her friends. He wanted to introduce me to them because I am his "youthful friend" and he cherishes me a lot. He keeps saying that we are like a family and that we must take care of each other. He is so sweet. Kind of corny, but I think I can handle it. At least, HE cares for me and HE thinks of me as more than a sparring partner. HE even told me I looked "youthful" tonight. Not the best compliment I've heard but still HE said something.** '**_Not like someone else I know... Hmm, I wonder if training that hard has damaged his brain when it comes to people or if he is just hopeless. I guess it's not the training, as I am the one who trains with him.'_

But, you know what? I don't care what he thinks. Lee's girlfriend's friends are super fun and they aren't bad looking either. So for tonight I'm going to forget the so-called prodigy and I'll get to know a cute guy. I'm not going to sit and wait until he returns my feelings. '_IF he ever returns my feelings.'_

One of the guys asked me to dance, so we went to the dance floor, where a fast song started playing. Next to me Hinata-chan was dancing with Naruto with a deep blush on her face. When she saw me dancing, she looked at me with a sad look on her eyes. Well, it was not just sadness, but what was it? Was it ...dissapointment? Dissapointment because I was dancing with a random boy and not her beloved cousin? Well, it's not my fault he is too damn proud to ask me out.

When the song ended, another guy asked me to dance with him and I accepted. As I met again with Hinata-chan on the dance floor, I suddenly remembered to look out for someone. So I watched over my dancing partner's shoulder and I saw him. Lee-kun was with him, introducing him to his girlfriend. He seemed kind of annoyed, but being the observant girl I am, I could see beyond that. His eyes weren't on Lee-kun or his girlfirend. He wasn't even paying attention to Naruto, who was dancing with his cousin. No; his white, pupil-less eyes were fixed upon me and my companion.

A lot of people think those eyes aren't able to show emotions, but tonight they were very clear. I could see a mixture of feelings in them. Annoyance, because of Lee-kun's "youthful" conversation. Boredom about being in this party. And on the very bottom I saw hurt, and it was directed to me. But wait a second, it was as if he was kind of...jealous? '_Jealous? The allmighty Neji Hyuga? Keep dreaming Tenten.' _He has no right to be jealous. I mean I'm not his girlfriend. '_Don't remind me about it.'_

When our eyes met, I sent him a look, warning him: ' Stop being like this! You have no right to be mad!' But still he didn't turn away, like normal people would do when they got busted. He just kept staring at us, with that new and full of emotion look on his face, so I decided to turn my head the song ended and I changed my dancing partner, I noticed a new couple dancing beside me. It was Ino-chan! And with Shikamaru! _'Finally!' _ Now she also had her happy ending. '_And I'll have even more juicy details for tomorrow.' _

While I was thinking of different ways to obtain the information from the mind controlling kunoichi, I felt someone tapping my shoulder. I turned around and saw him.

"Can I talk with you, please?" '_Ok, did the world just turned upside-down?' _I looked at my companion, who simply shrugged.

He took my hand and was taking me out to the gardens, where the music couldn't be heard. One part of me was hoping, _'more like dreaming' _he was going to say something romantic, but my rational side knew he would just say something like "_I don't care about this party or if you feel tired, we will still train tomorrow morning"._ I was just hearing his voice in my head.

When we arrived to our destination, I turned to him with a questioning look on my face. And once again his eyes encountered mine and showed me all the emotions he was feeling. They were so many. But above them, I saw one that made me feel guilty. It was fear. I couldn't resist so I asked him:

"Neji-kun, what is it? Please tell me." He turned so I was facing his back and finally spoke:

"Tenten, all my life I have been alone. I lost my father when I was four years old, and I grew up hating my entire family. Then when we were 12, we were assigned on the same team. Althought I first thought of you as a weak and ordinary girl, you showed me you were strong and brave. I started sparring with you and you became the only person in the world who understood me. You always supported me and didn't run away when I told you about my past.

I used to believe in destiny and that everything is already said, and I knew we were bonded by fate. But after that battle at the first chunin exams, my first defeat ever, I stopped believing in fate and became insecure. I couldn't know if we were really meant for each other or not. So, during all our missions, I have been secretly taking care of you, trying to protect you. But I can't help being...scared of losing you to someone else."

After that he wasn't able to go any further. I've known him since we were young and I still couldn't believe it was really him. When did he transformed from the living ice-cube into this full of emotion human being? I mean, the almigthy Neji Hyuga is afraid of losing? And not just anything, but me?

I didn't know what to say. So I did the only thing I could think of. I got near him and hugged him in the same way I saw Sakura-chan do it with Sasuke in the forest of death. He tensed at first, but then he relaxed. After that I neared my lips to his ear and whispered:

"You don't have to worry anymore. With or without your beloved fate, my heart will always be yours. I love you Neji-kun."

What he said was nothing compared with what he did next. He turned around so he was facing me and then he kissed me. It was a very short kiss, but it was perfect. _'Perfect? It was far beyond perfect!'_

When we broke apart I heard whispers around us. We had an audience! I turned around and saw...each and every single member of the rookie 9, along with Lee-kun, his girlfriend and her friends.

"What did I told you? My youthful rival and the flower of our team are having a youthful time in the garden. I can't wait to tell Gai-sensei about this!"

They all started laughing at his remark. He, along with the other eavesdroppers were about to suffer the wrath of the weapon mistress when a hand grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

"Don't worry,Ten-chan. They will know the true power of the sane members of team Gai tomorrow, if you let me help you with your revenge."

'_Ten-chan, huh? I could get used to it.' _ "Sure Neji-kun. We'll give them a couple hours to enjoy their lives before we kill them." He knew I can wait a little longer to get my revenge. He knew me too well.


End file.
